Drywall Cost Calculator
Estimate drywall material cost. Enter your surface area, sheet size, and a price per sheet.
Results
- Drywall sheets
- 28
- Surface area
- 800 sq ft
Estimates only. Round up and buy a little extra to account for waste, spills, and breakage.
Enter room dimensions and this drywall cost calculator returns sheet count, then applies your local sheet price plus an allowance for mud, tape, and screws.
Materials are the small half of a drywall budget. Hanging and finishing labour usually costs more than the board itself, especially at level 4 or level 5 finish.
Also used as a sheetrock cost calculator and drywall price per square foot estimator.
How to use the drywall cost calculator
- Enter the total surface area in sq ft.
- Enter the sheet size.
- Enter the waste factor in %.
- Optionally add a price to estimate the total project cost.
- Read your quantities instantly — no sign-up, and you can print the estimate to take to the supplier.
Worked example
Inputs
- Total surface area
- 800 sq ft
- Sheet size
- 4 × 8 ft (32 sq ft)
- Waste factor
- 10 %
Results
- Drywall sheets
- 28
- Surface area
- 800 sq ft
Using the example values above, the drywall cost calculator returns 28 (drywall sheets). Change any field to match your own project and the numbers update instantly.
What does drywall cost?
A 4 × 8 sheet of 1/2 in board commonly runs $12 to $20, with mud, tape, and screws adding roughly 20 to 30 percent on top of board cost.
Installed drywall typically runs $2 to $4 per square foot of wall area including hanging, taping, and finishing. High ceilings, curved walls, and level 5 finishes push toward the top of that range.
How much extra should I order?
Always order a little extra. A 5% waste factor suits simple, square projects; 10% is right for most jobs; bump it to 15–20% for irregular shapes, diagonal patterns, or uneven ground. Running short almost always costs more than the leftover material.
Cubic yard coverage by depth
| Depth | Coverage per cu yd |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft |
Formula
Sheets = total area ÷ sheet area, × (1 + waste%). 4×8 = 32 sq ft, 4×12 = 48 sq ft.
Frequently asked questions
- What size drywall should I buy?
- 4×12 sheets reduce seams on long walls; 4×8 sheets are easier to handle solo.
- How much drywall waste should I plan?
- Add 10–15% for cutouts around windows, doors, and outlets.
- How much does it cost to drywall a 12x12 room?
- About 500 sq ft of wall and ceiling area, so roughly 16 sheets. Materials are typically $250 to $400, with installed cost usually $1,000 to $2,000.
- How much joint compound do I need?
- Plan on about 1 gallon of all-purpose compound per 100 sq ft of drywall for a standard three-coat finish.
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